From this article.
Source: Nyasa Times
Of child trafficking and child labour in Malawi - Nyasa Times
July 30, 2008
David Mkwambisi
Over the last few months, we have been involved in several studies on child labour, child trafficking and other issues affecting orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi. Covering almost three quarters of the country, we have a larger picture of what child labour is at national level. The stories we have uncovered are so pathetic, the conditions pitiable and wretched, the work involved is abject.
I stand on this forum to share with the reader the stories as per the studies, the strategies and programmes undertaken by individuals and organisations. I will then bring to the attention of policy makers what is lacking on our agenda before suggesting some strategies that we need to embark on to assuage these sufferings.
Children as young as 10 years are engaged as child labourers mostly in tobacco estates in Mzimba, Rumphi, Mangochi, Kasungu and Mchinji. These future leaders of Malawi are trafficked from Mulanje, Thyolo, Lilongwe, Dedza, Salima and Ntcheu. While both girls and boys are trafficked for child labour, boys are preferred for agricultural work, while girls are engaged for prostitution and domestic work. Boys are mostly preferred.
While there is both internal and external trafficking, internal trafficking is more prominent than external. Externally, children are trafficked to other countries particularly Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique.
Almost in all studies, we have noted that poverty is the main push factor leading to child labour followed by cheap labour. Most of the children are Chewas, Yaos and Lomwes. The children are trafficked mainly though public transport and they use both formal and informal routes.
The sad thing is that there is no proper recording of children trafficked for child labour due to several factors including a deficient in technical and financial capacity. The other weakness at national scale is that there is no clear policy on child labour or child trafficking and those promoting this modern slavery have not been punished enough.
In actual fact 69% of responses indicated that culprits have not been punished. In Mangochi, we found young girls working as tobacco graders, while at one estate a young boy was herding goats during the day and worked as a security officer at night. During estates visits, it was even pathetic to find children hiding under tobacco heaps, failing to breathe as they did not want to return to their homes because of poverty.
In Mchinji, children told us of miseries they went through by herding cattle for three farmers without a single pay in nine months. A girl as young as 12 was pregnant at one tobacco estate at the same time taking care of other three orphaned siblings.
Stories from Mzimba district labour office are even worse with children and parents dumped in forests without pay after working at an estate. Children are walking long distances without food or proper accommodation.
The worse thing is that those trafficked to these remote estates do not have the opportunity to access primary education or even formal education. In actual fact, in these remote areas, there is no civilised life that can promote education rather than the slavery promoted by these selfish farmers.
On the lighter note, several organisations are working on child labour and child trafficking. For example, the programme funded by ILO/IPEC could be the largest at national level. In addition, projects funded by UNICEF, Malawi Red Cross, United Nation High Commission for Refugees and other donors are also doing a commendable job to reduce child labour. In general the projects are withdrawing child labourers who are in turn rehabilitated to return to school.
Some are promoting income generating activities among children who are older to return to schools. Several community based programmes are supporting vulnerable households with IGAs. Children are receiving scholastic materials. Others are provided with vocational training in carpentry, brick laying, tailoring, and home economics among others.
However, there is no commitment from the policy makers in particular members of Parliament, local leaders and chiefs. In actual fact in Mangochi districts, withdrawn children are taken to schools that are understaffed. In one case, a primary school of standard 1 to 8 had only one teacher or two if the wife is involved. The wife had to do her normal household chores, farming and teach. In many cases children were given assignments that took three months to be marked. This is promoting school drop outs. It should also be pointed out here that several cultural practices are promoting child labour as young people after initiation are regarded as adults and encouraged to get married. In Malawi as long as parent have consented on marriage, that is accepted.
These are affecting the positive outcome of the programmes aiming to reduce child labour. It is even pathetic to note that the Tenancy Bill that was developed to reduce such evils has not received the required attention from our parliamentarians. May be because they are estate owners themselves.
It is pitiable to note that such issues have failed to be discussed with sober minds at cabinet as well as national scale. While I do appreciate that there is now a budget allocation on child labour activities at national level, the money is not enough. Today District Social Welfare Officers who are poorly paid are using the same resources to repatriate, accommodate and even feed the victims.
Police officers are walking long distances or cycle to assist the communities on these issues. Communities are very supportive, but they lack several materials to meet their targets. What is the problem with our parliament when you consider the sort of debates at national level?
Today, we want to sign an MOU to make sure that the already fragile economy does not collapse. As a country we think SADC will guide us into development and solving our social and yet dim-witted issues.
Politicians that we entrusted to develop our rural areas are busy driving in cities and partying all the time. Leaders who could help communities reduce poverty spend the whole day debating on section 65 for years and years. Parliamentarians who have been in the house for over three decade should now consider the pride of the country rather than their own personal benefits.
Do we really understand that it take a second to destroy a country? Is there something we can show on development in our constituencies? Is promoting football, the only strategy to reduce child labour? Who will provide school materials? Who will build schools and health centres? Who will promote good agricultural programmes at community level, who will write proposal to secure funding on education? Is there any chance that we can solve this futility next year during general elections? Let those who want to develop this country do so without any disturbance from imbecile leaders. MPs should work with their people to address some of these problems.
Let the government work with the opposition to reduce poverty.. Failing to educate children is breeding killers.
Failing to protect our girls is promoting HIV and Aids. This will increase unwanted pregnancies, early marriages, prostitution and even affect the future of the whole nation. I can not understand that our children should be contributing to the economies of other countries through slaverly. I can not understand that today one teacher should be teaching classes 1 to 8. It is even to no purpose that a primary school can finish a term without supervision from district officials.
In conclusion, Malawi is full of child labourers. These children are supposed to be in school and be protected by the constitution. They are working in very bad conditions and this will require a multi-stakeholder approach. This approach will require the leadership of our MPs who are currently on a political break of selfishness. The country has no strategy or logical framework to combat child trafficking and child labour. There is no collaboration or networking despite several great works done by individuals and organisations. The country has a weak data and recording management systems and even guiding principles are not developed.
The government could express more commitment by approving some of the bills and policies aimed at reducing this problem. Bold and new anti trafficking legislation is required and consider the introduction of child registration as a priority for child protection. Capacity building for law enforcers is required including those in immigration and courts. Let the communities be involved including the children themselves in programme planning and policy formulation. Referral networks by stakeholders could be enhanced at national and community level.
Finally, the President, cabinet, heads of department could take a reading role in raising awareness on this social problem. Otherwise, we will have 6,500,000 child labourers rather than Section 65. See my tears.
Source: Nyasa Times
July 30, 2008
David Mkwambisi
Over the last few months, we have been involved in several studies on child labour, child trafficking and other issues affecting orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi. Covering almost three quarters of the country, we have a larger picture of what child labour is at national level. The stories we have uncovered are so pathetic, the conditions pitiable and wretched, the work involved is abject.
I stand on this forum to share with the reader the stories as per the studies, the strategies and programmes undertaken by individuals and organisations. I will then bring to the attention of policy makers what is lacking on our agenda before suggesting some strategies that we need to embark on to assuage these sufferings.
Children as young as 10 years are engaged as child labourers mostly in tobacco estates in Mzimba, Rumphi, Mangochi, Kasungu and Mchinji. These future leaders of Malawi are trafficked from Mulanje, Thyolo, Lilongwe, Dedza, Salima and Ntcheu. While both girls and boys are trafficked for child labour, boys are preferred for agricultural work, while girls are engaged for prostitution and domestic work. Boys are mostly preferred.
While there is both internal and external trafficking, internal trafficking is more prominent than external. Externally, children are trafficked to other countries particularly Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique.
Almost in all studies, we have noted that poverty is the main push factor leading to child labour followed by cheap labour. Most of the children are Chewas, Yaos and Lomwes. The children are trafficked mainly though public transport and they use both formal and informal routes.
The sad thing is that there is no proper recording of children trafficked for child labour due to several factors including a deficient in technical and financial capacity. The other weakness at national scale is that there is no clear policy on child labour or child trafficking and those promoting this modern slavery have not been punished enough.
In actual fact 69% of responses indicated that culprits have not been punished. In Mangochi, we found young girls working as tobacco graders, while at one estate a young boy was herding goats during the day and worked as a security officer at night. During estates visits, it was even pathetic to find children hiding under tobacco heaps, failing to breathe as they did not want to return to their homes because of poverty.
In Mchinji, children told us of miseries they went through by herding cattle for three farmers without a single pay in nine months. A girl as young as 12 was pregnant at one tobacco estate at the same time taking care of other three orphaned siblings.
Stories from Mzimba district labour office are even worse with children and parents dumped in forests without pay after working at an estate. Children are walking long distances without food or proper accommodation.
The worse thing is that those trafficked to these remote estates do not have the opportunity to access primary education or even formal education. In actual fact, in these remote areas, there is no civilised life that can promote education rather than the slavery promoted by these selfish farmers.
On the lighter note, several organisations are working on child labour and child trafficking. For example, the programme funded by ILO/IPEC could be the largest at national level. In addition, projects funded by UNICEF, Malawi Red Cross, United Nation High Commission for Refugees and other donors are also doing a commendable job to reduce child labour. In general the projects are withdrawing child labourers who are in turn rehabilitated to return to school.
Some are promoting income generating activities among children who are older to return to schools. Several community based programmes are supporting vulnerable households with IGAs. Children are receiving scholastic materials. Others are provided with vocational training in carpentry, brick laying, tailoring, and home economics among others.
However, there is no commitment from the policy makers in particular members of Parliament, local leaders and chiefs. In actual fact in Mangochi districts, withdrawn children are taken to schools that are understaffed. In one case, a primary school of standard 1 to 8 had only one teacher or two if the wife is involved. The wife had to do her normal household chores, farming and teach. In many cases children were given assignments that took three months to be marked. This is promoting school drop outs. It should also be pointed out here that several cultural practices are promoting child labour as young people after initiation are regarded as adults and encouraged to get married. In Malawi as long as parent have consented on marriage, that is accepted.
These are affecting the positive outcome of the programmes aiming to reduce child labour. It is even pathetic to note that the Tenancy Bill that was developed to reduce such evils has not received the required attention from our parliamentarians. May be because they are estate owners themselves.
It is pitiable to note that such issues have failed to be discussed with sober minds at cabinet as well as national scale. While I do appreciate that there is now a budget allocation on child labour activities at national level, the money is not enough. Today District Social Welfare Officers who are poorly paid are using the same resources to repatriate, accommodate and even feed the victims.
Police officers are walking long distances or cycle to assist the communities on these issues. Communities are very supportive, but they lack several materials to meet their targets. What is the problem with our parliament when you consider the sort of debates at national level?
Today, we want to sign an MOU to make sure that the already fragile economy does not collapse. As a country we think SADC will guide us into development and solving our social and yet dim-witted issues.
Politicians that we entrusted to develop our rural areas are busy driving in cities and partying all the time. Leaders who could help communities reduce poverty spend the whole day debating on section 65 for years and years. Parliamentarians who have been in the house for over three decade should now consider the pride of the country rather than their own personal benefits.
Do we really understand that it take a second to destroy a country? Is there something we can show on development in our constituencies? Is promoting football, the only strategy to reduce child labour? Who will provide school materials? Who will build schools and health centres? Who will promote good agricultural programmes at community level, who will write proposal to secure funding on education? Is there any chance that we can solve this futility next year during general elections? Let those who want to develop this country do so without any disturbance from imbecile leaders. MPs should work with their people to address some of these problems.
Let the government work with the opposition to reduce poverty.. Failing to educate children is breeding killers.
Failing to protect our girls is promoting HIV and Aids. This will increase unwanted pregnancies, early marriages, prostitution and even affect the future of the whole nation. I can not understand that our children should be contributing to the economies of other countries through slaverly. I can not understand that today one teacher should be teaching classes 1 to 8. It is even to no purpose that a primary school can finish a term without supervision from district officials.
In conclusion, Malawi is full of child labourers. These children are supposed to be in school and be protected by the constitution. They are working in very bad conditions and this will require a multi-stakeholder approach. This approach will require the leadership of our MPs who are currently on a political break of selfishness. The country has no strategy or logical framework to combat child trafficking and child labour. There is no collaboration or networking despite several great works done by individuals and organisations. The country has a weak data and recording management systems and even guiding principles are not developed.
The government could express more commitment by approving some of the bills and policies aimed at reducing this problem. Bold and new anti trafficking legislation is required and consider the introduction of child registration as a priority for child protection. Capacity building for law enforcers is required including those in immigration and courts. Let the communities be involved including the children themselves in programme planning and policy formulation. Referral networks by stakeholders could be enhanced at national and community level.
Finally, the President, cabinet, heads of department could take a reading role in raising awareness on this social problem. Otherwise, we will have 6,500,000 child labourers rather than Section 65. See my tears.
Source: Nyasa Times
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